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2014 Bentley Flying Spur brings new design to four-door Continental

After showing us a couple teasers recently, not to mention the leakage of official shots earlier today, Bentley has finally pulled the cover off the all-new 2014 Flying Spur, which will receive its global debut next month at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The big, bespoke sedan not only promises plenty of luxury in its full redesign, but Bentley is also saying that the new Flying Spur will be the "fastest, most powerful four-door" model it has ever produced.
To make sure it comes through on that bold statement, the 2014 Flying Spur is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine used in the Continental GT Speed. In the Flying Spur, this 12-cylinder engine produces 616 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, and it sends that power to the ground through a new eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased (40/60) all-wheel-drive system. Launching the 5,451-pound sedan from 0-60 miles per hour will take just 4.3 seconds and 100 mph comes in less than 10 seconds; overall top speed is rated at 200 mph. Even with all that power and mass, Bentley is still expecting the next-generation Flying Spur to return better EPA fuel economy than the current model with projected (but not certified) estimates of 12 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
Befitting of its more powerful engine, the Flying Spur also gets a more athletic appearance with a more upright face, arched front and rear fenders and horizontal taillights that better distinguish it from the Continental GT. The new roofline also gives the car a sportier shape and the side windows add a more contemporary look, but this car is almost identical in size to the current model including the massive rear overhang, which helps accommodate 16.8 cubic feet of cargo.

'Rich Kid of Instagram' victim of supercar arsonists

A 19-year-old in the UK is smarting after the possibility that his prolific social media use may be at the heart of four family-owned supercars going up in flames in barely a week. Aleem Iqbal has thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram paying attention to his frequent posts about the high-priced cars he's driving. He's even been featured on the Tumblr page Rich Kids of Instagram. It appears that some people might not be so smitten with him, though.
According to his Twitter profile, Iqbal owns Platinum Executive Travel, a luxury car rental company in the England, and UK newspaper The Telegraph claims the company is also owned by Iqbal's father. On June 6, cameras caught three hooded men setting fire to a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster leased by the company for a wedding. A few days later, two Audi R8 Spyders and a Bentley Continental Flying Spur from Platinum also got the torch, and two men were caught on camera setting the blaze. Nobody was hurt in either of the attacks, and the Aventador appeared to be repairable with the fire causing most damage to the passenger seat and dashboard. Police are still investigating both of the crimes.
According to The Telegraph, Iqbal believes that the arsons could have stemmed from jealousy towards him and his family's business. Regardless, setting fire to a bunch of cars that are likely insured isn't a great way to show displeasure.

Bentley shows plug-in hybrid concept ahead of Beijing, will power SUV in 2017

From its more mainstream, popular origins in the original Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, the hybrid powertrain has worked its way up to the the corner office, the big chair, the top slot in the corporation. Bentley has announced that it will introduce a plug-in hybrid option on its SUV due in 2017. Before then, we'll see what an electrically assisted Bentley looks like at the Beijing Motor Show when the Crewe automaker shows off a copper-accented Mulsanne that's been reworked into its Hybrid Concept, pictured above.
We don't have any official specs just yet, the only major announcement being that any Bentley hybrid will be able to travel at least 50 kilometers (31 miles) on pure electric thrust and get a power boost of "up to" 25 percent from its electric side. We use the phrase "any Bentley hybrid" because the company's CEO says "we will gradually introduce this powertrain across our model range" to 90 percent of the brand's lineup.
We'll know more when the Beijing show commences. For now, there's the press release below and the high-res gallery above.